With Foote in instead of Timmons, Troy will have to reduce the gambling, right?

Not at all. Their defense is so good because of the DLine, which is failing so far, and Troy's gambling. When he's out, there's no replicating what he does. When he's in, the defense always revolves around his playmaking ability. Doesn't matter who's out, Troy just needs to be Troy. Case in point. 2 years ago, the Steelers were missing Ryan Clark, and destroyed Denver on a Monday night. Ty Carter was filling in for Clark, and had a huge game with 2 picks. The next week, Polamalu went down, Carter was exposed as his replacement, and the Steelers started losing to the AFC West, Browns, etc, and fell from 6-2 to 9-7.

Troy freelancing allows mediocre players to have big games. Troy not freelancing (as in the Super Bowl due to his achilles) exposes their defensive weaknesses. I think this week is the Steelers official crossroad week. I think they've woken up, Tomlin's unleashed a few of his limited padded practices, and my gut says they're going to show the rest of the AFC that the road still travels through Pittsburgh. However, if they come out sluggish yet again, then the fair but still premature reports of the Steeler demise will become much more mature and valid.

Amen brother!! Woodley has disappeared this year. Been a total disappointment. Seems like he got a 60 mil contract based on his ability to produce when the other olb diverts attention. Harrison hasn't done that this year bc he's less than 100% with the back surgery.

I agree troy seemed to click on late in the texans game, but he seemed to do the same late against the colts. He had the late return for a td on harrisons strip sack, and then nearly forced a fumble on the handoff when he picked left instead of right. Then non existent in the first half against the texans. When he plays a full game like that call me a believer. I do agree his freelancing makes that d hum. He just needs to put it together for 4 quarters. Hell, freelance more! The pass d isn't what has sucked so far. They have actually been pretty decent. Clark will cover his back. He always has..

On the matter of timmons, I think he has all the potential and talent to be the best lb on the squad. He has been stunning on the field at times. And he had a very good last year, but he hit a late season wall last year and disappeared a bit. He's gotta play straight thru, all games. Put his best game out there each week, esp the playoffs. He didn't last year. He may be our best lb, but I expect more out of that tag! This is the best steelers lb. I want 2 sacks a game like woodley did for so many playoff games in a row. I want a 100+ yd taint, that seemed to defy reality. Timmons is the most talented lb on the squad. I want to see him prove it Sunday....

"If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler." Jack Lambert, 1990 HoF Introduction.

Looks to me like woodley heard us. 2 sacks, 2 qb hurries and an int. Kinda sad the largest member of the back 7 is the only only one w an int. Timmons wasn't earth shattering good, but he dropped well and gave woodley those opportunities. He stuffed at least 3 underneath passes today. As far as I'm concerned hoke and hood replace smith and Hampton forevermore. They looked like the steelers today, sans the first play from scrimmage. The two padded practices made a difference. Totally sucks the cba calls for only one week of two padded practices.

"If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler." Jack Lambert, 1990 HoF Introduction.

Wake up call answered. Now, the only negative I see is that now we know they're capable of that type of performance, all it proves is that they're still unreliable on a week to week basis, which is the same as last year. So the next step is consistency, but that was the first game this year where the Steelers looked like the Steelers. If that level of play continues, they're still the team to beat in the AFC.

Wake up call answered. Now, the only negative I see is that now we know they're capable of that type of performance, all it proves is that they're still unreliable on a week to week basis, which is the same as last year. So the next step is consistency, but that was the first game this year where the Steelers looked like the Steelers. If that level of play continues, they're still the team to beat in the AFC.

I thought the same thing after they shutout the seahawks. Then they laid a couple of eggs. Hopefully this was the real kick in the nuts they needed going forward.

“Never ascribe to malice that which can adequately be explained by incompetence.”― Napoleon Bonaparte

I thought the same thing after they shutout the seahawks. Then they laid a couple of eggs. Hopefully this was the real kick in the nuts they needed going forward.

Yeah, but in watching that Seahawks game, even though they got the shut out, the defense still looked out of whack, and they were by no means dominant. There were no explosive plays, Seattle was without Rice, and they still couldn't force any turnovers against one of the worst QBs in the league. Tennessee has been a pretty good team to this point, and the Steelers made them look plain bad. The O-Line played well against an underrated front, and the defense was flying around the ball again. Still only the one pick, but it was the first time all year they looked like they're supposed to look.